Modular furniture



D 5, 1 7 J. THEODORES 3,356,434

MODULAR FURNITURE Filed April 5, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JAMES L. THEODO RES hQ W J ATTORNEY D 5; 1967 J. L. THEODORES 3,356,434

MODULAR FURNI TUR E Filed April 1966 f Sheets-Sheet 5 F 6. 4 F/ 6. 5 Eg5 g g g g lln/ JAMES L. THEODORES /d K did/1412x1101 ATTORNEY 2 4 7 1'29;, T 16 W M INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,356,434 MODULAR FURNITURE James L. Theodores, Box124, Yorktown Heights, N.Y. 10598 Filed Apr. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 540,346 2Claims. (Cl. 312-250) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A modular furnitureunit for afiixation to an abutment wall or to other furniture units, thefurniture unit including support roller means to facilitate translatorymovement, characterized by complemental connectors afiixed to the moduleand the abutment and vertical adjustment means. on the module shiftableto floor engaging and module lifting position, the noted shiftingmovement serving to lift the complemental connector of the modular unitupwardly into engagement with the complemental connector carried by theabutment, thereby to lift the support roller means from the floor, theunit being firmly affixed in position by the reactive force exertedagainst the floor through the vertical adjustment means and Thisinvention relates to modular furniture and more particularly to mobilefurniture units which may be selectively assembled to each other or infixed relation to a support surface, such as a wall or bulkhead.

More particularly, this invention relates to an assembly comprising oneor more self-supporting modular furniture I units which may be readilysecured to a wall support or to other, similar furniture units, toarrive at a predetermined and fixedly positioned composite.

This invention further relates to an assembly including furniture unitsof the type described which may be readily mounted and demounted, and inwhich the modules are susceptible of individual use or of being attachedto a bulkhead or wall structure, the units, when in attached condition,being positively fixed not only at the junction with the bulkhead butalso at other portions, positively to prevent disorientation or movementof the device when w in fixed condition.

The invention relates still further to roller mounted furniture moduleshaving locking means complemental to other locking means mounted eitherto a bulkhead or to a second furniture module. The locking means may beinter-engaged, preferably by a vertical, bodily movement of the moduleitself, such vertical movement, in addition, deactivating the rollers,casters or other means by which the modules are rendered portable.

In certain applications, as particularly exemplified in schools or likeinstitutions, it is desirable to provide a great deal of flexibility asto the orientation of certain furniture components. Particularly inschool science laboratories, it may be desired to have the laboratoryunits in a first orientation when the classroom is to be used forlecture purposes, and in a second and different orientation forseminars, for instance.

In accordance with present practice, laboratory work benches,particularly those connected to utilities for the provision of gas,compressed air, water and the like, are

customarily directly and permanently connected either to the wall or tothe floor, to provide the necessary solid foundation which will assurethat the work bench is not shifted relative to its desired position. Thepermanent aflixation of a science unit or bench, for instance, requiredcareful planning, and once installed, it was necessary for the studentsto accommodate to the existing conditions rather than permitting thephysical environment to be accommodated to the students.

Also, in accordance with present practice, it is considered necessary tocoordinate room dimensions to the size of available science units.Additionally, as will be evident, the permanent installation of suchunits, involving the installation of fittings in concrete, floors,bulkheads or the like, involves considerable expense.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the invention to providemodular furniture, and particularly modular furniture for use in ascience classroom or the like, which may be selectively associated anddisassociated from prefabricated fittings applied to the wall, bulkheador the like, the units being readily shifted to any desired position;

A further object of the invention is the provision of a modular assemblyof the type described wherein the units, when locked in a desiredposition, are substantially free from any tendency to move under theinfluence of inadvertent pressures exerted thereagainst.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of modularunits of the type described which may be selectively, rigidly assembledagainst a wall, bulkhead or the like, or removed therefrom andinterconnected with other, similar modular units in a plurality ofattached configurations.

To attain these objects, and such further objects as may appear hereinor be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a series of modular units showing theunits both in attached and unattached position with respect to eachother and to a utility installation;

FIGURE 2 is a magnified horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1, showing a mechanism for attaching and detaching the modules;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; I

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a magnified side elevational view showing interlockingmechanism in accordance with the invention, in the open or unattachedposition thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, showing the mechanism in thelocked condition thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, in accordance with the invention, aclassroom or the like having a wall W and floor F, as shown in FIGURE 1,is provided with one or more prefabricated utility or like components10. The components 1%, which are securely fastened to the Wall, includewater outlets 11 and such other outlets as may be' desired in view ofthe nature of the laboratory or classroom. As examples of such otherutilities may be illuminating gas, compressed air, hydrogen sulphide,etc. In the illustrated embodiment, the components 10 incorporate troughportions 12 connected in the usual manner to drain facilities.

For use either with the components 10 or separately therefrom areindependent furniture modules 13 which may be selectively connected tothe components 10 and/ or to other modules. In the illustratedembodiment, the

modules 13 comprise science work benches, it being understood that anydesired furniture elements may be employed.

The modules 13 and the components are provided with attachment means inthe form of independent, interlocking elements. For this purpose, atspaced points along the component 10, there are fixedly mounted a seriesof interlocking elements 14see FIGURES 6 and 7-which optionally butpreferably may comprise aluminum extrusions which are cut to any desiredlength and mounted at spaced intervals along the component 10.

The element 14 includes an attachment leg 15 which 18 made fast to thecomponent 10, and a downwardly directed locking finger 16, the innerface of the finger 16 including a downwardly and inwardly inclinedlocator cam surface 17. A bumper member 18, of rubber or likecompressible elastomeric composition, is made fast on the outer face ofthe attachment leg 15.

The modules 13 are provided with complemental locking mechanisms adaptedto interfit with the attachment means 15, securely to hold the modulesagainst relative lateral movement with respect to the component 10.

The locking means 19 of the module 13 comprises an extended extrusion ofaluminum or the like, and preferably runs substantially the entirelength of the rear side 20 of the module. The locking means 19 has anattachment leg 21 which is made fast to the module and which includes anoffset arm 22 extending laterally beyond the rear side 20 of the module.

At the outer or free end 23 of the arm 22, there is provided an upwardlydirected complemental locking finger 24, arranged clampingly to beengaged with the downwardly directed locking finger 16 of the lock means14. The finger 24 is provided with an inclined cam surface 25 ofcomplemental slope to the cam 17 of the locking means 14.

As will be evident from a comparison of FIGURES 6 and 7, the fingers 16and 24 may be interlocked by an upward relative movement of the lockingmeans 19 with relation to the locking means 14.

I have discovered that a mere interlocking of an attachment mechanism ofa module with an attachment mechanism mounted on a fixed unit, such asthe component 10, will result in an unsatisfactory structure.Specifically, the portable module, if merely interlocked with thecomponent, will transmit tremendous stresses to the interlockingmechanism, in the event that an impact is absorbed by the module. Aswill be readily recognized, such an impact is not infrequentlyexperienced in a classroom or the like wherein students are hurrying totheir positions. Other impacts, as for instance, from cleaningequipment, floor waxing equipment, supply carts, etc., are common and Ihave determined that a mere interlocking between a support surface and amodule or between adjacent modules, while permitting the modules toremain portable, is an undesirable feature and is to be avoided.

Accordingly, there is next to be described a novel feature of theinvention which simultaneously deprives the module of its portabilityand causes the inter-engagement of the locking mechanism. Thisinterlocking mechanism is shown in detail in FIGURES 2 to 5. Themechanism is preferably applied at each corner of the module and sinceeach mechanism is in all respects identical, a description of one suchmechanism will suffice.

As shown in FIGURE 3 in solid line position, a conventional casterassembly 31 is fixed to the under-surface of the module adjacent thecorners. The caster assemblies include the usual yoke 32 carrying acaster wheel or roller 33, rotatable on cross shaft 34, the opposed endsof said shaft being supported on the spaced legs of the yoke 32. Theyoke 32 is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis in the usualmanner, as by bearing assembly 35 interposed between the yoke and thecaster bracket 36.

In proximate spaced relation to each caster assembly 31, there isdisposed a lift mechanism 40 operable by the user bodily to lift thecorner of the module ad acent the caster, thereby to clear the casterfrom the floor to the dot and dash position shown in FIGURE 3 and thuseliminate the functioning of the caster. I

The lift assembly includes stub shaft 41, which is horizontally disposedand rotatably mounted in spaced brackets 42, 43, made fast to themodule. A short length 44 of the shaft projects laterally beyond themodule, a ratchet wheel 45 being keyed to this extending part of theshaft. A lift lever 46 is rotatably mounted on the shaft, the leverincluding a bearing arm 47 having a cen' tral aperture or slot (notshown) which is rotatably mounted about the shaft. A spring pawl 48 isfixed to the upper surface of the lever and includes a depending tooth49, FIGURE 5, which engages behind the teeth of the ratchet wheel 45.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that a clockwisemovement of the lever 46 will cause a com comitant clockwise rotation ofthe shaft 41, the lever being free to move or rotate about the shaft ina counter clockwise direction, as depicted in the views.

A holding ratchet '50 is keyed to the shaft 41 in spaced relation to theratchet 45. A spring pawl 51 is pivotally mounted to the module in arecess 52 formed therein, the pawl being pivoted to a bracket 53 carriedby the module. The pawl is spring urged downwardly against the ratchetby a biasing spring 54 which is disposed under tension between thespring seat 55 on the pawl and a retainer seat 56 on an extension of thebracket 53.

A release lever 57 forms a continuation of the pawl 51, the end portionof the lever 57 extending outwardly of the module through an aperture 58formed in the module for this purpose.

It will be evident from a consideration of FIGURE 4 particularly, thatthe shaft 41 will be permitted, by the ratchet 50 and pawl 51, to rotatein -a clockwise direction but not in a counter-clockwise direction.Similarly, it will be apparent that by downwardly moving the releaselever 57, the locking pawl 51 will be relieved of its connection withthe ratchet 50 and the ratchet shaft will be thus freed forcounter-clockwise movement.

The lift assembly incorporates a U bracket 60 having legs 61, 62,defining spaced, vertically aligned apertures 63, 64. There is furtherprovided a foot portion 65, preferably of rubber, which has a generallycylindrical shaft 66 slidably mounted within the apertures 63, 64. Aspring housing 67 is disposed within the bracket 60, a compressionspring 68 being disposed within the housing surrounding the shank 66.The lower end 69 of the spring 68 is biased against leg 62 of thebracket, the upper end or convolute 70 of the spring bearing against acollar 71 which is made fast to the shank 66.

A lifting cam 72 is made fast to the shaft 41, the cam being disposeddirectly above the uppermost end 66a of the shank 66. The cam 72 isoptionally but preferably generally oval in configuration and mayincorporate a somewhat flattened end portion 73.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the spring 68 acts normally topress the foot portion 65 and the shank 66 upwardly to a position clearof the floor, as shown in solid lines, FIGURE 3, with the upper end 66aof the shank bearing against the under-surface of the cam.

The operation of the device is as follows:

In the normal or lowered position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 3, eachmodule rests on its casters 31 and may be readily wheeled to any desiredposition. When it is desired to attach the module, for instance to oneof the components 10, the module is wheeled to a position adjacent thecomponent wherein the finger portion 25 of the locking means of themodule is located as nearly as possible in alignment or, moreaccurately, slightly inwardly of the downwardly directed finger portion16 of the locking means 14 of the component. The alignment aforesaid isfacilitated by the provision of the compressible bumper member 18 whichenables the parts to be moved together without likelihood of damage to,or burring of, the interlocking extrusions.

When the module is aligned in the manner noted, the operator appliespressure with his foot against the lever 46, causing a clockwiserotation of the shaft 41. It will be understood that since the weight ofthe module may be considerable, it is desirable to employ the lever in amanner to make the greatest possible use of the mechanical advantage ofsuch lever. Thus, the lever may be successively depressed a few degreesand then elevated with the toe, each depressing movement causing arotation of the shaft and each lifting movement merely realigning thelever. Optionally, spring means for realigning the lever may beprovided.

As the shaft 41 is rotated, the holding ratchet and pawl 50 and 51,respectively, will maintain the shaft in its clockwisely rotatedposition against counter-rotation. At the same time, the cam member 72,which is afiixed to the shaft, will progressively force, by itsengagement with the follower 66a of the shank 66, the shank to movedownwardly, carrying the foot portion 65 progressively closer to thefloor F.

Further pumping movements on the lever will cause the foot portion to bepressed into engagement with the floor, lifting the corner of the modulebodily substantially to the position shown in dot and dash lines, FIGURE3. The bodily lifting movement aforesaid will cause the locking fingers16 and 25 to shift from the released position shown in FIGURE 6 to thelocked position shown in FIGURE 7. The opposed cam surfaces 17 and 25will automatically cause the units to compensate for any initialmisalignment of the module with respect to the component.

It will be understood that after the lift mechanisms adjacent the side20 of the module have ben actuated, the other lift mechanisms arepreferably also actuated so as to free all the casters from anyconnection with the floor.

It will be apparent that the connection achieved will be far more securethan would be the case if the module were supported on its casters andone side of the module were merely connected by some form of lockingmeans to a support surface or component. When positioned in the mannernoted, accidental impact against the unit will not stress the lockingcomponent since the unit has already been rendered substantiallyimmovable by its being supported on the foot portions 65.

To release the modules from their locked position, it is merelynecessary to depress the releasing lever 57, permitting acounter-clockwise rotation of the shaft 41. The releasing operation, andparticularly the freeing of the pawl 51 from its connection with gear50, may be facilitated by initially applying a downward pressure on thelift lever 46, to relieve the pressure from the pawl 51, and thenlifting the pawl from its engaged position in the ratchet.

Alternatively, the unit may be lowered by a continued pumping of liftlever 46 without operation of the release lever 57, to bring a shallowerportion of the reverse side of cam 72 into contact with follower 66a.Where floor irregularities or high spots may prevent a complete rotationof cam 72, use must be made of lever 57.

In order to prevent any rapid dropping of the unit, it is desirable thatthe lever 57 be retained in depressed condition and the downwardmovement be controlled by slowly permitting an upward movement of thelift lever From the foregoing description, it will be readily recognizedthat by attaching sections of locking elements 14, similar to theelements 14 mounted to the component 10, to side portions of themodules, an interlocking of the modules to each other can be achieved.In a like manner, the utility of the device may be enhanced by providingon another side of the modules, a locking extrusion 19, which is similarto the extrusion 19, which is applied to the rear face 20 of themodules.

The units may be connected in complete alignment or may be connected inslightly offset position one with respect to the other, as will beevident from the foregoing disclosure.

While the invention is illustrated as applied to work benches in ascience laboratory, it will be readily recognized that the same is notlimited to such employment.

In a similar vein, while the specific lift mechanism for clearing thecasters from the floor and effecting the desired connection between theparts has been illustrated for purposes of complying with statutoryrequirements, the invention is to be broadly construed, within the scopeof the appended claims, to cover other forms of lift mechanisms. Forinstance, it is also possible to effect the desired connection bylowering a side or sides of the modules onto upwardly directed lockingmechanism formed on the stationary component, so that a downwardmovement of the unit effects both the locking connection and the releaseof the casters from their supporting function.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what isclaimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A furniture assembly comprising a furniture module, a first connectormember supported on said module in horizontal position adjacent a sideof said module, said connector member including an upwardly extendinglock portion, an abutment member to which said module may be removablysecured, said abutment member having fixed thereto a second horizontallydirected connector member at a predetermined fixed height above a floor,said second member having a downwardly directed lock portion,complemental cam portions on said first and second locking membersincluding slope components directed toward said abutment, a verticalupward movement of said first connector member with respect to saidsecond connector member being effective to inter-engage said camportions and said lock portions and align and secure the latter againstrelative horizontal movement, support roller means disposed at thecorner of said module for movably supporting said module for translatorymovement across a floor surface, and vertical adjustment means includingfoot portions for simultaneously lifting said roller means clear of thefloor and said first connector member into inter-engaged position withsaid second connector member whereby said module is fixed in position bya force component reacting through said foot portions against said floorand upwardly stressing said first against said second connector member.

2. A furniture assembly comprising a furniture module, a first connectormember supported on said module in horizontal position adjacent a sideportion of said module, said onnector member including an upwardlyextending lock portion, an abutment member to which said module may beremovably secured, said abutment member having affixed thereto a secondhorizontally directed connector member having a downwardly directed lockportion, a vertical upward movement of said first connector with respectto said second connector member being effective to inter-engage saidlock portions and secure the latter against relative horizontalmovement, support roller means disposed at the corners of said modulefor movably supporting said module for translatory movement across afloor surface, vertical adjustment means for simultane ously shiftingsaid roller means clear of the floor and said first connector memberinto inter-engaged position with said second connector member, saidadjustment means ineluding foot portions disposed adjacent said supportroller means, shafts rotatably mounted to said module, a cam aifixed toeach said shaft, said cam being disposed above and in contact with saidfoot portions, rotation of said cam serving to project said footportions downwardly below said module, spring means yieldably urgingsaid foot portions upwardly into contact with said cams, camoperatingmeans including a lever and a first ratchet member for rotatingsaid shaft in a first direction responsive to opera tion of said levermeans, said ratchet means resisting rotation of said shaft in adirection opposite said first direction, a second ratchet affixed tosaid shaft in spaced relation to said first ratchet, a pawl biased intoengagement with said second ratchet 'for preventing rotation of saidratchet and, hence, said shaft in said opposite direction, and a releaselever operatively connected to said pawl extending to the exterior ofsaid module for releasing said pawl from connection with said secondratchet, whereby said shaft may be rotated in said second direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 872,742 12/1907 Oesterle et a1.16-32 934,480 9/1909 Treiber 28043.14

'8 9/1934 Clapp 280-4314 12/1939 Albach et a1 28043.14 X 9/1955 Bastian280-4314 X 6/1956 Lucker 254-133 X 7/1956 Brown 2542.2 X 12/1960 Mohr280-43 .24 2/ 1964 Faulkner 2592.2.

FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1914 Great Britain.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner.

15 JAMES L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner.

2. A FURNITURE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FURNITURE MODULE, A FIRST CONNECTORMEMBER SUPPORTED ON SAID MODULE IN HORIZONTAL POSITION ADJACENT A SIDEPORTION OF SAID MODULE, SAID CONNECTOR MEMBER INCLUDING AN UPWARDLYEXTENDING LOCK PORTION, AN ABUTMENT MEMBER TO WHICH SAID MODULE MAY BEREMOVABLY SECURED, SAID ABUTMENT MEMBER HAVING AFFIXED THERETO A SECONDHORIZONTALLY DIRECTED CONNECTOR MEMBER HAVING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED LOCKPORTION, A VERTICAL UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRST CONNECTOR WITH RESPECTTO SAID SECOND CONNECTOR MEMBER BEING EFFECTIVE TO INTER-ENGAGE SAIDLOCK PORTIONS AND SECURE THE LATTER AGAINST RELATIVE HORIZONTALMOVEMENT, SUPPORT ROLLER MEANS DISPOSED AT THE CORNERS OF SAID MODULEFOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID MODULE FOR TRANSLATORY MOVEMENT ACROSS AFLOOR SURFACE, VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT MEANS FOR SIMULTANE OUSLY SHIFTINGSAID ROLLER MEANS CLEAR OF THE FLOOR AND SAID FIRST CONNECTOR MEMBERINTO INTER-ENGAGED POSITION WITH SAID SECOND CONNECTOR MEMBER, SAIDADJUSTMENT MEANS INCLUDING FOOT PORTIONS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SUPPORTROLLER MEANS, SHAFTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED TO SAID MODULE, A CAM AFFIXED TOEACH SAID SHAFT, SAID CAM BEING DISPOSED ABOVE AND IN CONTACT WITH SAIDFOOT PORTIONS, ROTATION OF SAID CAM SERVING TO PROJECT SAID FOOTPORTIONS DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID MODULE, SPRING MEANS YIELDABLY URGINGSAID FOOT PORTIONS UPWARDLY INTO CONTACT WITH SAID CAMS, CAM OPERATINGMEANS INCLUDING A LEVER AND A FIRST RATCHET MEMBER FOR ROTATING SAIDSHAFT IN A FIRST DIRECTION RESPONSIVE TO OPERATION OF SAID LEVER MEANS,SAID RATCHET MEANS RESISTING ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT IN A DIRECTIONOPPOSITE SAID FIRST DIRECTION, A SECOND RATCHET AFFIXED TO SAID SHAFT INSPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST RATCHET, A PAWL BIASED INTO ENGAGEMENTWITH SAID SECOND RATCHET FOR PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID RATCHET AND,HENCE, SAID SHAFT IN SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND A RELEASE LEVEROPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PAWL EXTENDING TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAIDMODULE FOR RELEASING SAID PAWL FROM CONNECTION WITH SAID SECOND RATCHET,WHEREBY SAID SHAFT MAY BE ROTATED IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION.